Orpheus Chamber Orchestra on Friday, October 4, or "A Far Cry" Chamber Orchestra on October 20 at Mechanics Hall

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In a Nutshell

Grammy-winning orchestra with pianist Brad Mehldau on October 4; classical and klezmer with clarinetist David Krakauer on October 20

The Fine Print

Expiration varies.Limit 10 per person. Valid only for option purchased. Reservation required via email. Redeem starting day of show for a ticket at venue box office. Must show valid ID matching name on Groupon at Mechanics Hall. Refundable only on day of purchase. Must reserve together to sit together. Discount reflects Music Worcester's current ticket prices-price may differ on day of the event. Doors open 90 minutes before showtime. For ADA accommodations, call box office promptly upon receipt of voucher - availability is limited.Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with Brad Mehldau

Over its four decades of existence, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra has earned legions of fans and even a Grammy—and it’s done it all without a conductor. Orpheus plays collaboratively, with instrumentalists providing feedback to one another during rehearsals. For this appearance, they team up with innovative composer-pianist Brad Mehldau, who has served as a composer in residence at Carnegie Hall and worked all over the world.

Johannes Brahms—Liebeslieder Waltzes: These love songs hold a somewhat scandalous bit of history. Brahms wrote them in order to try to woo the 16-year-old daughter of Clara Schumann—a married pianist and composer with whom he’d earlier carried on a passionate emotional affair.

Brad Mehldau—Variations on a Melancholy Theme: Somewhat upbeat despite its name, this expansive new piece changes forms depending on who’s accompanying the composer and pianist, with lots of room for improvisation.

Ludwig van Beethoven—Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”: One of the grandest and most enduring classical works in history, the “Eroica” moves through the hopes, setbacks, and triumphs of a heroic campaign. It’s a work of both enormous ambition and accessible melodic themes that seem designed to stick in your head immediately.

####"A Far Cry" Chamber Orchestra and David Krakauer
For this performance, the chamber orchestra will be joined by clarinetist David Krakauer, whose genre-hopping proficiency mirrors the versatility and breadth of the orchestra's repertoire. Along with his classical work, he's an expert in the Eastern European Jewish klezmer tradition.
* **Osvaldo Golijov—The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind:** This 1994 piece explores the story of a Kabbalist rabbi through klezmer melodies designed to evoke the sounds of three different languages: Aramaic, Yiddish, and Hebrew.
* **Hildegard von Bingen—O ignis spiritus:** An innovator in the world of Gregorian chant during her time, von Bingen sets a paean to the "spirit of fire, bringer of comfort" on an airborne musical journey that soars high and low.
* **Mehmet Ali Sanlikol—Vecd:** Although contemporary, this piece reaches back to a very old tradition: the mystical music of Sufi dervishes. Sanlikol translates their multiple rhythms and continually increasing tempo to the requirements of a Western string orchestra.
* **Ludwig van Beethoven—Heiliger Dankgesang, from Quartet op. 132**: Many listeners have heard in the opening strains of this movement the sound of a person gently but deeply inhaling and exhaling. That's probably by design—the full title can be translated as "“Holy Song of Thanks by a Convalescent to the Divinity," and it was written as Beethoven was recovering from an abdominal illness.